As
there is always a question in everyone's mind how is it possible to
write in a space ,where the stakes are high ,how does one write after
all,the ink in the pen is not held down by gravity,so how do scientist
write upside down.all these questions came to the mind of the people.In
1960, NASA scientists speculated that in space we could not write with a
pen that's why he spent millions of dollars to create a pen that could
write in space,while his soviet counterparts used polite pencil.
According
to NASA historians,NASA astronauts also used pencils.in 1965,NASA
ordered 34 mechanical pencils from Houston's tycam engineering
Manufacturing Inc. Which was at the rate of $128.89 per pencil.the
public did not like this at all and expressed his displeasure with NASA.
Because of this,NASA had to find something much cheaper for the use of
its astronauts.
Why the Pencil is not Used In Space?
Pencils
were not an ideal choice for writing in space because an astronaut or
an instrument with the potential to damage could flow into microgravity
and cause its tip to break.Also the pencil is flammable and NASA did not
want to avoid anything soluble in a spacecraft.
HOW PERFECT IS THE USE OF PEN IN SPACE?
It
has been discovered long before by scientists that regular pens working
on earth will not work in space because they depended on the gravity
for the flow of ink to the nib.This is the reason why astronauts used
pencils.
At the time NASA Mechanical pencil was embroiled in controversy,fisher of the fisher pen co. designed the company's policy sliding ballpoint pens that could work in space. his company invested one million dollars to run,design,and patent pens on its own the pen made by fisher operate not only in space but also within and outside the water ,in weightless environment and in other fluids at temperature ranging from -50 F to +400F.The company offered the pen to NASA but the space agency was hesitant to buy it due to a mechanical pencil dispute. however,after some years of rigorous testing,NASA bought 400 Pens from Fisher and 1 year later being russians also ordered 100 pens and 1000 ink cartridges to use on his soyuz space missions.Get 40% off on purchase of pens for both NASA and soviet space agency,Paying about $2.39 Per pen.over the years,Fisher's company has created very different types of space pens that are used by NASA and the soviet space agency.If a person wants to get a these space pen,it will cost him about $50.
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